Join us in springtime on our six-night adventure. We enjoy the richly varied landscapes of Catalonia, from the soaring Modernisme of Barcelona to the Roman grandeur of Tarragona on the Costa Daurada and the dramatic slate-terraced vineyards of the Priorat. We learn of the Catalan spirit through the work of Gaudí, and the Romanesque influence on Picasso, with guest expert Gijs van Hensbergen.
We enjoy the delights of the Mediterranean in Tarragona with our friend and guide Oriol Brasó, be it from a monastery set against the backdrop of a mountain range or at sea level, sampling the culinary joys of Cambrils.
We stay three nights at the Villa Emilia in Barcelona and three nights at the H10 Imperial Tarraco in Tarragona.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Friday 12th March
Flight EJU8065 departs London Gatwick at 09.10 and arrives in Barcelona at 12.15.
We meet at Barcelona airport and take a panoramic tour of the city to understand its development from medieval town to the modern metropolis it is today, from the planned grid of the Eixample district to the impact of the 1992 Olympics. Guests are asked to buy their own lunch.
We climb up to the magnificent viewpoint of Mirador del Alcalde and along the stunning Passeig de Gràcia over to our hotel, excellently located in the Eixample itself.
Time to rest at the hotel before dinner at Mussol Arragó for our first taste of excellent Catalan cuisine.
Day 2: Saturday 13th March
Today we are joined by our guest lecturer, writer and art historian Gijs van Hensbergen. There’s no better expert than Gijs from whom to learn about Gaudí and his awe-inspiring creation the Sagrada Familia. We take in the Hospital de Sant Pau and Gaudí’s Casa Batlló on the Eixample. After lunch, we visit what has been described as Gaudí’s space-age condo, La Pedrera, with its sculptural rooftop and innovative interiors. Dinner at a local favourite.
Day 3: Sunday 14th March
This morning we continue with Gijs to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, in its stunning location looking over the city. We focus on the Romanesque collection, including the great Christ in Majesty from Sant Climent de Taüll and the reconstructed Pyrenean apses, among the finest medieval wall paintings in Europe.
This was a place of inspiration for Picasso, whose museum we go on to visit after lunch in the Born area.
Dinner tonight at the iconic Mordisco, known as the meeting point for Catalan creatives and of course for its excellent cuisine.
Day 4: Monday 15th March
We check out and head to Tarragona, our base for the next three nights. This world heritage city was the first and is the oldest Roman settlement on the Iberian peninsula.
We visit its seaside Roman amphitheatre overlooking the Mediterranean and the nearby chariot circus. We enjoy a long lunch at Restaurante Xarxa and, for those who would like to, a visit to the former private residence of Casa Castellarnau.
Dinner on the rooftop terrace of the hotel looking out to sea.
Day 5: Tuesday 16th March
Today we travel up to the Priorat, one of Spain’s prime wine-making locations because of its steep terraces, llicorella slate and the know-how of a group of wine-making friends who moved there in the 1970s with a vision. We visit the serene 12th-century Carthusian monastery, Scala Dei, whose monks first started producing wine at the priory, giving Priorat its name. We call at the village of Siurana, set on limestone cliffs, offering a stunning vantage point from which to view the Prades mountain range, the Siurana reservoir and the vineyards below. We go to Clos Figueras, winery of celebrated British wine merchant and producer Christopher Cannan in the village of Gratallops. Here, we enjoy a tour, a tasting and a long lunch before making our way back to Tarragona. Local dinner.
Day 6: Wednesday 17th March
Today we drive up to the hillside 12th-century monastery Escornalbou, transformed in 1907 by diplomat Eduard Toda into his residence and sanctuary. We continue to the pretty medieval town of Mont-roig del Camp, known for its olive-oil production and also as the summer retreat for the young artist Miró. From here, we head to Cambrils, still a working fishing port, with an excellent gastronomic reputation to go with it. Lunch at one of Oriol’s favourites. We take a stroll through the 19th-century botanical gardens of Parc Samà before returning to Tarragona for our last evening and a light dinner.
Day 7: Thursday 18th March
We bid farewell to Tarragona and head to the pretty seaside town of Sitges, with its medieval castle and church and 18th-century mansion houses built by the locals, known as Americanos, who had made their fortunes in the Americas.
We visit Cau Ferrat, former home to Catalan painter and writer Ruisiñol, and the striking seafront Maricel museum, built by American art collector Charles Deering in 1910. We enjoy a last long seaside lunch before heading to Barcelona airport for our flight home.
We continue to Barcelona airport to arrive at 17.45, ready for flight EZY8058 departing 19.45, arriving at London Gatwick 21.10.
About our experts:
Gijs van Hensbergen
Gijs lives between Oxford and his treasured Segovian village of Arevalillo de Cega. He is an art historian, lecturer and author of The Sagrada Familia; Gaudí; a biography; and Guernica: The Biography of a Twentieth-Century Icon. He is considered the world expert on Picasso and his work has also been published in the Burlington Magazine and the Wall Street Journal
Oriol Brasó
Oriol was born in Barcelona and discovered his love for guiding when Barcelona hosted the Olympics in 1992. Since then, he has been guiding private groups through Barcelona and Catalonia. When not guiding the likes of Bette Midler or a Rothschild family member, Oriol is a guide in much demand – but has reserved his dates for us for March. Having previously run a restaurant in Barcelona, Oriol continues to share his love of showcasing the best of Catalan cuisine. He now lives in the country in the province of Tarragona and looks forward to sharing it with us.
HOW TO BOOK: Call 01225 427311 or please email Katherine at reservations@theoldie.co.uk.
Price per person sharing a double/twin room: £2,995, including 6 nights’ accommodation and all transport. Single supplement £650. Flights not included. You need to pay for drinks outside of meals.
Non-refundable deposit £750 per person; balance due 1st December 2026.
WALKING & MOBILITY
Our tours have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. In order to enjoy these holidays you need to be reasonably fit, able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 40 minutes, to go up and down a staircase without assistance and to stand - perhaps in a queue - for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to Katherine on 01225 427311.
TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Although we are pleased to welcome clients with disabilities, their participation will depend on the nature of the disability and in some cases it will be necessary to be accompanied by an able-bodied companion. In order to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all participants on any tour we must ask you to declare full details of your disability, especially if this affects your mobility, so that we can consider your personal circumstances.
